Showing papers in "International Journal of Population Geography in 2000"

The invisibility of skilled female migrants and gender relations in studies of skilled migration in Europe

Abstract: This paper examines the reasons for the invisibility of skilled female migrants in studies of skilled migration in Europe. The choice of research agendas has played a major part in rendering women invisible. The emphasis has generally been on transnational corporations, which, especially in their higher ranks, remain resolutely male-dominated. The presence of migrants in welfare sectors (i.e. education, health and social services), which are strongly feminised, has been ignored. Feminist research has also tended to obscure the role of skilled migrants in its emphasis on the unskilled. Theoretical and methodological developments in studies of migration have also made few inroads into our understanding of skilled migration.

An evaluation of the combinatorial optimisation approach to the creation of synthetic microdata

Abstract: Population microdata comprise a list of households and individuals each with an associated list of characteristics. Unfortunately for Britain no small-area microdata exist that offers a broad range of demographic and socioeconomic variables contained in the national census. There are a number of approaches to the reconstruction of such spatially detailed microdata including data fusion synthetic reconstruction (chain imputation) and reweighting. One variant of the reweighting approach involves the selection of a combination of households from the 1% household Samples of Anonymized Records that best fits known small-area are constraints (the published census tabulations). In this paper the implementation of this "combinatorial optimization" technique is more thoroughly examined. First the combinatorial optimization process is reviewed. Then a number of methodological innovations designed to improve the accuracy and consistency of resulting outputs are reported. Subsequently the problems of evaluating the outputs are discussed and a new strategy is outlined for assessing the quality of synthetic microdata. The strategy proposed is generally applicable to all such data irrespective of their means of generation. The paper goes on to provide an extensive assessment of the quality of synthetic microdata produced using the combinatorial optimization approach. This represents the first time that such an evaluation has ever been undertaken. The results highlight the degree to which such data may be able to meet specific user needs. The paper concludes by offering an illustration of the "added value" that can be obtained by combining information from public-use microdata with published small-area tabulations. (authors)

Conceptualising Irish rural youth migration: a biographical approach.

Abstract: This paper explores the usefulness of a biographical approach in studying Irish rural youth migration. There have been calls recently for an approach to migration study that involves conceptualizing migration as part of individual biographies as well as social structures. However there is little research that explicitly adopts a biographical approach. This paper presents the theoretical underpinnings methodological issues and findings of a recent study that was guided by the principles of a biographical approach to migration. The study was an exploration of life-path formation among Irish rural youth from the 1970s to the 1990s. The paper focuses on the three key elements of a biographical approach to migration and relates them to Irish rural youth migration. Firstly migration is considered as part of an individuals biography and the methodological implications of this are explored. Secondly it is argued drawing on the research in Ireland that migration decision-making is a multilayered process. In the case of Irish rural youth migration a biographical approach highlights the complexity of migration decision-making revealing the tensions and struggles that lie behind each move and thus raises questions over the tendency towards simplification of the migration process. Finally it is argued that migration is a cultural phenomenon but that this assertion needs careful qualification. This paper problematizes the role of culture in migration processes by untangling the systems of competing discourses of migration that underlie societal norms regarding migration thereby challenging the view of migration as "normal" for particular societies or cultures. (authors)

Leaving home and leaving the State: evidence from the United States

Abstract: Leaving the parental home is an important first step in a long-term housing career. We extend the previous research on this topic by examining the impact of housing market factors on the risks of leaving with or without a partner in the United States. We also re-examine the role of the income of the young adult leavers in nest-leaving, and extend the previous work by studying local versus interstate movement when leaving home. We ask: does the parental housing context have an impact on the likelihood of leaving home, and to what extent is this impact different for those leaving to marry or cohabit and for those leaving to live alone? We find that although housing factors play a role, they are much less important than the young adult's own income, and that there are complex interactions with the marital status of the child. The findings on leaving and moving greater distances show that there are important differences related to leaving with or without a partner, and that this is further differentiated by education, both of the child and the father. More income and greater education lead to a greater likelihood of interstate movement coincident with leaving the parental home. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long‐term trends of internal migration in Italy

Abstract: This study reviews trends in interprovincial migration in Italy over the last 40 years, with reference to the mobility transition model. The overall intensity of interprovincial migration declined significantly in the mid-1970s. Subsequently there has been a slow decline, and at the beginning of the 1990s interprovincial mobility reached a level of about 10 moves per 1000 persons per year. This paper provides a description and interpretation of these migration patterns, using population register data at the provincial scale. The regional patterns of interprovincial migration were very pronounced in the 1950s and 1960s, and characterised by rural to urban and South to North migration. After more balanced geographical patterns in the mid-1970s, the demographic efficiency of interprovincial migrations indicates a rise in short-distance moves in the case of suburban migrations, and renewed South to North migrations. These changes in the regional patterns of interprovincial migration were closely related to the economic and social transformations in Italy since the 1950s. Special attention is given to the role of the metropolitan provinces: Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin. These provinces serve as centres of attraction and distribution of interprovincial migration flows, and the changes observed for these four provinces over the study period aid the understanding of the overall changes in the national migration system. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Race, region and the territorial politics of immigration in the US.

Abstract: Zelinsky and Lee (1998) recently unveiled a model of the sociospatial process of immigrant settlement designed to augment and possibly supplant the well-known theories of assimilation and pluralism. Although in some ways new, their work continues a tradition in social science that treats the settlement geography of immigrants as a measure of their more general fit into American society. We question the prevailing assumption that immigrant settlement patterns represent a barometer of their adaptation, or lack thereof, to a host society. This critique of the concepts of assimilation, pluralism and Zelinsky and Lee's alternative ‘heterolocal’ model of immigrant settlement pivots around the issues of spatial scale and race. We argue that the contestations over immigration and how well immigrants fit into society are increasingly constructed at the regional scale. We also assert that questions race infuse almost all aspects of these debates. The transformation of America's largest city-regions into places of non-white immigrants, and the shifting political balance of power to states like California through immigration-driven reapportionment, are touchstones for anti-immigration initiatives and associated local and national debate. Fear of racial regional changes underpins an increasingly powerful response to immigration. The reactions elicited by these settlement geographies fall under the heading we call the ‘territorial politics of immigration’. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Proximity of adult children to their parents in Great Britain.

Abstract: Much of the authors' knowledge of kin interaction and exchange in Britain is partial, in that it is based on studies of co-resident groups and excludes consideration of kin "beyond the household" It is known that there have been large declines in intergenerational co-residence, raising fears that family bonds have weakened It is also commonly assumed that family members are less likely to live in close proximity than in the past In this paper the authors examine one important aspect of kin relationships--proximity of adult children to their parents--using nationally representative data from 1986, 1995, and 1999 The analyses presented focus on: differences between 1986, 1995, and 1999 in proximity of adults to their parents; sociodemographic characteristics associated with variations in proximity, and temporal differences in the pattern of these variations The paper concludes with an assessment of some of the policy implications of the findings

Measuring destination attractivity: A migration example

Abstract: The power of places to draw migrants is a topic of fundamental interest in geographical and related social studies and also in policy circles. This paper describes and demonstrates the utility of a measure of migration attractivity which is considered superior to those most widely used previously. Following a review of the importance now attached to measuring place attractiveness the paper documents the deficiencies of the most commonly used methods involving numbers and rates of in-migration and net migration. It goes on to argue for a measure of the relative intrinsic attractivity (RIA) of places which takes account of the spatial context of each place in terms of its accessibility from all the other places that are ‘at risk’ of supplying residents to it. It applies this approach to migration that took place in 1990-91 between all the local authority districts of mainland Britain as recorded by the 1991 Census. The resultant ranking of these 451 places on the basis of their migration attractivity for all persons is compared with the patterns indicated by more traditional measures. The paper then explores the characteristics of places to see what features are most closely associated with high and low levels of migration attractivity. Finally RIA scores are calculated separately for two age groups thought to have different views about what makes for an attractive place to live namely young adults and people at the peak of the family-building stage of their lives. (authors)

Population displacement in the Three Gorges reservoir area of the Yangtze River, central China: relocation policies and migrant views.

Abstract: Employing empirical data derived from a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews (1997-98) in the Three Gorges reservoir area and using secondary sources in both Chinese and English the paper describes the number categories and spatial distribution of migrant flows evaluates the major methods of settling relocatees and explores the state of relocatees feelings about their relocation. The authors found that the number of people to be relocated is still uncertain and environmental social and behavioral factors influence the number. The relocation programs are involved in settling people in nearby areas in moving them far away or in settling rural migrants in urban industrial enterprises. These resettlement processes are challenged respectively by a tight people/land relationship on higher ground above the reservoir by the difficulties in rebuilding production systems and adapting to a new social setting outside the reservoir area and by increasing unemployment in urban China. A series of problems with the relocation operation have resulted because of the lack of a generalized framework for population relocation and the inadequate involvement of those affected in policy-making and relocation affairs. Despite expressing their support for the project the majority of rural migrants have mixed feelings about their relocation. The results of the authors survey and interviews have revealed the fact that a number of relocatees are facing the risk of impoverishment because of a shortage of financial and economic resources the environmental constraints on relocation capacity and mismanagement of the operation. Under such circumstances it is very difficult for those affected to view their displacement as a good opportunity to improve their standard of living. (authors)

Creating a temporally consistent spatial framework for the analysis of inter‐ regional migration in Australia

Abstract: Changes in zonal boundaries severely compromise the reliability of comparisons made from time series data. We examine problems and solutions to the development of a temporally consistent spatial structure in the context of the literature on zone design. One of these, the 'designer' solution, is used to establish a consistent spatial structure for the analysis of inter-regional migration in Australia over the period 1976 to 1996. It is shown that intercensal boundary changes over this period create significant spatial discontinuities and that variations in the digital boundaries from successive censuses hamper development of an automated solution. We set out the tasks involved in the design of geographical zones, establish criteria for the design of migration regions and describe the key procedures for implementation. Using these principles we then devise a system og 69 functional regions which for practical purposes are temporally consistent over the 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996 censuses. We illustrate the utility of the database by examining selected facets of Australian inter-regional migration.

State magnets for different elderly migrant types in the United States

Abstract: This article identifies a number of elderly ‘migrant types’ in the United States using census data information on state of birth and state of residence prior to the 1985–90 migration period. This typology is useful because it points out significant socio-demographic profiles associated with each migrant type with distinct impacts on elderly ‘magnet’ states. States that serve as classic retirement magnets (e.g. Florida, Arizona) and second-tier retirement magnets (e.g. North Carolina, Nevada) benefit the most from elderly inter-state migration. Other states (e.g. California) are becoming ‘revolving door’ elderly migration states that attract well-off elderly migrants, but also lose large numbers making additional moves. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

What kind of theory for what kind of population geography

Abstract: This paper raises the issue of the role of theory in population geography. In the last decade there have been calls for population geographers to become more involved in the wider debates of human geography and related social sciences including a plea for (re)theorization of the subdiscipline. Yet there has been little response. Since theory is not an optional extra why this lack of enthusiasm? One explanation the author suggests relates to an uncertainty about the different kinds of theory that inform empirical population research. Using the example of demographic transition theory the author identifies different “layers” of theory (population theory theories of society and philosophical theories) that underpin population research. The author argues that in addition population geographers must recognize the continuing importance of disciplinary cultures and attend to theories of space and place. Understanding difference and diversity must lie at the heart of population geographys contribution to the multidisciplinary arena of population studies. It is the ideas of postmodernism that have “legitimized” such understandings in the wider social sciences. At the same time these ideas have introduced an ultimately nihilistic pluralism. Resolution of the resulting tension is the greatest challenge currently facing the discipline of geography. The authors entreaty is that population geographers recognize this challenge and as part of the (re)theorization of the subdiscipline become more involved in the debate. (authors)

Ethnic enclaves in New Zealand

Abstract: Most studies of ethnic segregation use relative measures of the residential separation of various groups within cities. The models that they are implicitly testing call for absolute rather than relative measures, however, and these are employed here in a comparative study of Maori, Pacific Island and Asian ethnic minorities in New Zealand's 36 largest urban areas. We find relatively little evidence of ghetto/enclave-like concentration of individual groups, except in some smaller cities where the Maori comprise a substantial proportion of the total population. There is more evidence of clustering of the Polynesian populations as a whole, however, and certainly so relative to the more recent Asian immigrants, which suggests the importance of economic disadvantage in the production of those differences. Levels of segregation across New Zealand's urban system are closely linked to the ethnic group's share of each urban area's population. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Internal migration scenarios and regional population projections for the European Union

Abstract: Recently, a new set of regional population projections for the countries of the European Union has been completed. This paper concentrates on the internal migration component of these projections. After a brief description of the internal migration model employed, the paper develops two sets of model parameters in terms of which projection assumptions are formulated: the overall mobility level, and the level of convergence or divergence of regional push and pull factors. For convergence or divergence, future parameter values are specified relative to a hypothetical change from currently observed migration patterns to a counterfactual situation of full convergence, i.e. equalised regional push and pull factors and, as a consequence, zero net internal migration for all regions. This leads to three scenarios: a baseline scenario, with mobility levels and regional effects constant throughout; a low scenario, with future (from 2010 onward) mobility levels 20% lower and regional effects 50% further away from full convergence (i.e. regional differences increase); and a high scenario, with future mobility levels 20% higher and regional effects 50% closer to full convergence. Finally, the paper presents selected results from the resulting regional population projections, with special attention paid to the contribution from the internal migration component. Overall, there are only limited differences between the scenarios, since internal migration has in general a dampening effect on population growth differentials due to other components of growth. However, at the level of individual regions, the internal migration component can make a large difference. For instance, in regions where the difference in population growth between the high and low scenarios is large, around 30% of the difference is due to the internal migration component. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Structural changes in childhood mortality in Spain, 1860–1990

Abstract: The special characteristics of mortality in Spain in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly with respect to the high levels of childhood mortality, led us to attempt to decipher the internal structures of this phenomenon. This study focuses on the role of early childhood mortality (ECMR, 4q1) and infant mortality (q0), with particular reference to the former, as essential variables in explaining the decline of mortality in Spain. Thus, the structure of mortality in the early years is emphasised as a key indicator of the evolution and modernisation of the population, given the differences that have been observed in different countries and contexts, and the connection which exists between infant and child mortality in the process of demographic transition. After a comparison of the levels of mortality in Spain with those of other countries, which highlights the importance of studying child mortality, an analysis is carried out using the data available for Spain and its provinces, revealing important differences in the internal structures of childhood mortality. These differences are reflected both in the geography of the phenomenon and in the differences between urban and rural environments, hence the importance of this type of analysis in explaining the diversity of experience and the regionalisation of the demographic modernisation in Spain. Moreover, it is shown that the decline in childhood mortality varied between regions and between rural and urban areas; consideration is also given to the variations in childhood mortality according to the size of the urban populations. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investigating the effect of clustering of the urban field on sustainable population growth of centrally located and peripheral towns.

Abstract: In a previous study (Portnov and Erell 1998a) an Index of Clustering was defined which allowed an analysis of the combined effect of spatial isolation and remoteness of peripheral towns on the long-term patterns of their population growth. In the present paper the analysis of the effect of clustering of the urban field on the patterns of population growth is extended to centrally located urban places and the validity of this index is tested in two unevenly populated countries--Israel and Norway. In both countries the effect of clustering of the urban field on the patterns of urban growth is twofold. In sparsely populated areas the presence of neighboring towns appears to increase their chances of attracting potential migrants due to inter-urban exchanges while in more densely populated areas increasing clustering tends to reduce migration influx to a given locality due to inter-town competition. Following this conclusion a strategy of “redirecting priorities” leading to the formation of urban clusters is proposed which may enhance the potential of urban growth in geographical areas where this is desirable. (authors)

Legal status, gender and employment among Salvadorans in the US

Abstract: This paper investigates the labor market experiences of Salvadorans who reside and work in the US. Many Salvadorans work on temporary visas which are currently renewed annually until the Immigration and Naturalization Service or the courts hear their asylum cases under the American Baptist Church vs. Thornburgh ruling. Acknowledging that gender provides the foundation for most occupational segregation and income inequality the authors evaluate how legal status and gender interrelate and shape (and are shaped by) the work experiences of Salvadorans. The authors also consider how transnational obligations to family in El Salvador influence employment behavior and outcomes and in so doing the research asks the authors to think anew about the localness of local labor markets. The study relies on data collected during 15 months of fieldwork in northern New Jersey and El Salvador. (authors)

Branch migration and the international dispersal of families.

Abstract: This paper discusses the dispersal of facilities where family members migrate to different destination countries. Terminology for internationally dispersed families is proposed and the term branch migration is suggested for the migration of related people from the same source country to different destination countries. Data from two 1993 surveys of senior secondary students show that 22% of Sydney students and 20% of Hong Kong students have relatives in two or more other countries. The data suggest that many Asian migrant families have branched between the US Canada Australia and other migrant-receiving nations. The causes and implications of the international dispersal of families are discussed. (authors)

Estimating the size and distribution of South Asian religious populations in Britain: is there an alternative to a religion question in the census?

Abstract: Growing interest in the religious dimensions of cultural and group identity in British society, particularly among the South Asian community, has culminated in the government proposing a religion question for the 2001 Census. The case for inclusion must consider arguments over the need for information on religion per se, as well as whether the census is the most appropriate way to obtain it. This paper addresses that question through a systematic review of alternative methods of quantifying religious populations. After establishing the limited availability of direct information on religion, the paper considers the application of an inferential method for estimating religious populations based on survey data (the 1994 Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities). With the exception of the mono-religious Pakistani and Bangladeshi populations, evidence of substantial spatial variation in the association between ethnicity and religion severely limits application of the method below national level. Using the religiously diverse Indian population of outer London as a case study, the NSEM is interrogated to see whether the incorporation of other ‘predictors’ of religion as weighting variables improves sensitivity of the method to this variation. In a second method, logistic regression is used to develop predictive models of religious affiliation for application to census microdata (the Sample of Anonymised Records). The conclusion from both applications is that very little of the variation in the religious geography of Indians in Outer London can be inferred from measured characteristics in the census. However, this does not necessarily imply support for inclusion of a religion question in the 2001 Census. With most of the demands for information on religion likely to centre on a relatively few inner city areas, it may be more appropriate (and cost-effective) to define and solve the need for data locally. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dual university-graduate households in Sweden: the effect of regional variations and migration on income equality

Abstract: This article examines the effect of regional variations and migration on the income gap within young dual university-graduate households in Sweden. Using a unique database for the entire Swedish population which makes longitudinal comparison possible, the geographical distribution of, and the intra-household income gap in, young dual-graduate households are analysed. Focus is placed on changes in the internal income gap in the households, depending on residential region, migration or staying, and the region of in-migration. The young dual-graduate households in Sweden are more concentrated in large city areas and in educational centres, compared with other households in the same age groups. The results of the analyses show that regional differences in income level are manifested in absolute differences in intra-household income equality. Regions considered to be more gender-equal do not have a greater degree of income equality. As for migration, the migratory action in itself increases the intra-household income gap within the studied households. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Integration of Caribbean immigrants in a welfare state city: Surinamese and Antilleans in Amsterdam

Abstract: ‘Blacks, who are trapped in ghetto-like urban environments and who fail to participate in society, who are not able to get a decent house and cannot get a proper job’: that is the stereotypical fearful image particularly associated with US cities. It also seems to play a major role in the political and scientific debates about integration of (black or coloured) immigrants into other countries. This is certainly true for the Netherlands, where the fear of the ghetto is frequently expressed in relation to the settlement of Caribbean, Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. However, whereas the stereotype of the ghetto may be valid for some parts of the black population in some US cities, the immigrant settlement patterns in the US and elsewhere seem to require other images. Certainly the European (and again specifically the Dutch) situation should not be referred to using labels like ‘the ghetto’, not even when it concerns black Caribbean immigrants of African origin. In this paper we analyse the level of integration of Dutch Caribbean immigrants, i.e. Surinamese and Antilleans. Integration was investigated in the spatial sphere and in the housing market and labour market contexts in the Netherlands, and more particularly in Amsterdam. Moderate levels of spatial segregation and a fairly strong housing market position indicate high levels of integration. Their position on the labour market, which initially was less favourable, has recently improved substantially, and coincides with advancement in higher secondary education among Surinamese youths. The article sets out that these achievements are likely to be associated with the wider organisation of the Dutch welfare state and with the booming economy. Since currently that welfare state is under revision, with an increase in social polarisation and a reduction of housing support among the likely effects, and since employment opportunities for many immigrants are strongly related to the business cycle, the future prospects for Caribbean immigrants are not unambiguously positive. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An individual's growth environment and migration behaviour: the case of foreign-born Estonians

Abstract: In this article the author examines the role an individuals early growth environment plays in her/his later migration behavior. The research subjects are ethnic Estonians from Russia living within Estonia. The author compares different groups of foreign-born Estonians in their choices of residence by variables reflecting their early growth environment. The results support the hypothesis that the socialization variables significantly impact the choice of residence of foreign-born Estonians. The chance that foreign-borns would live in North Estonia and urban areas compared with South Estonia and rural areas is much higher in ethnic return migrants whose parents level of education was/is higher whose parental home was Russian-speaking and who grew up in cities. Thus the results of the research enable us to argue that the social environment not only influences an individuals migration behavior directly but also indirectly through the growth environment of her/his childhood. (authors)